Ex-prison Guard Admits Larceny

September 19, 1996|By SANDY LOUEY; Courant Staff Writer

A former correction officer convicted of embezzling thousands of dollars from Enfield-area prison guards will serve no prison time.

Under a plea agreement, Mark Whalen, 40, of Stafford, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Superior Court in Rockville to charges of stealing nearly $13,000 from the checking account of Local 391 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He also admitted forging the signature of union President Michael Minney.

Under the agreement, Whalen pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of fourth-degree larceny, a misdemeanor. Judge Richard Rittenband gave Whalen a one- year suspended sentence and two years of probation.

In July 1995, Whalen was charged with first-degree larceny and 37 counts of second-degree forgery, all felony counts. The larceny charge alone carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

As part of the agreement, Whalen resigned from his job with the state Department of Correction last Thursday. Whalen also agreed never to apply for a job with the department, according to Minney.

Whalen was working as a correction officer at the MacDougall Correctional Institution in Suffield. He had been with the correction department since June 1988.

Whalen served as the treasurer of the union local until he stepped down in October 1994.

The embezzlement was discovered during an audit of the union's books a few weeks after Whalen stepped down as treasurer. The money had been taken between April 1993 and October 1994, according to an arrest affidavit.

Whalen made full restitution to the union in April 1995.

The theft led the guards' union to change its financial practices. Audits of union funds are now done quarterly instead of annually.

On Wednesday, Minney said the union took action when Whalen's embezzlement was discovered.

``He did something wrong,'' he said.

Minney said he did not have an opinion about Whalen's punishment.

Assistant State's Attorney Matthew Gedansky and Whalen's attorney, Joseph Paradiso of Stafford, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.